As We Remember
by Aseret Kitsune
Summary: We all have memories, and things that will trigger those memories. The chances of having acathexis are low. First: The siblings bond early in the morning when the rest of the mansion is asleep. One has a photograph, the other just his memory.


**A/N: **Just something I thought up two days ago and just now decided to type up.  
**Genre: **General  
**Pairing: **Slight Irene (Destiny)/Raven (Mystique)  
**Rating: **PG  
**Summary: **The siblings bond early in the morning when the rest of the mansion is asleep. One has a photograph, the other just his memory.  
**Warnings: **Tickling, sibling bonding, that's about it. Oh, and slight spoiler for the third season, I suppose.

As We Remember

Kurt bamfed into her room, thinking she would be asleep; it was, after all, thirty minutes after one on a school night. Instead, he saw Rogue sitting on her bed, one leg dangling off the side whereas the other was up, an arm hugging it lightly. The multi-color haired girl was gazing nostalgically down at a photograph, too lost to notice the boy's arrival. Kitty was no where in site and he guessed that she had gone to sleep in Jean's room to give the older girl some privacy.

Practically on tip-toes so as to not disturb her, Kurt went over to the girl. He sat down, the bed lowering around him. She still did not realize he was there until the German teen spoke up.

"Vas is zat, Rogue?" he asked curiously, voice low as to not hassle the sleep of the surrounding rooms' occupants. The girl's head snapped up and she turned to the fuzzy blue mutant next to her, seeing him finally.

"Kurt! When'd ya git in here?" she asked, trying to settle down her racing heart.

"Just now. Nightmare," he explained sheepishly. The girl nodded.

"What was this one 'bout?"

Dodging the question, Kurt pointed at the picture as he asked, "Vas are you doing up so late?" Rogue's eyes trailed back to the photograph delicately held in her hands.

"Ah was jus' thinkin' about Ri-_Mystique_ and…Irene, mah childhood," she answered softly, voice far away.

The picture held three people: a blind woman Kurt knew was Irene, a man the boy had never seen before, and a toddler Rogue. She was playing happily with blocks, holding one up to the man who smiled down at her. Irene simply sat on the couch, face peaceful as she listened to the baby and man's fun.

"Vho is zat?" Kurt asked, referring to the man.

"Mystique," Rogue answered, voice a mumble.

The two sat in silence for a while, both with physical eyes on the photograph. Kurt thought about how much they had been lied to or the times that people simply hadn't told them important things while Rogue remembered. After a bit, the girl whispered to the boy, though he had to strain to hear the words.

"It was all uh lie, Ah know, but it was uh fun lie." Kurt's neutral expression turned to a frown as he took a good look at Rogue. He knew that if she were any weaker of a person she would be crying.

"Ja," he said when a minute had gone by. Suddenly, the girl lifted her head and turned it towards him.

"Do ya have any pictuhs of when ya were a kid?" she asked out of the blue. Kurt shook his head in the negative.

"Nein. Zat vould have been evidence zat mein parents had a freak son," he explained with a small hint of bitterness, accent thick. Rogue looked at him with a sad pity. Hand gloved, she patted him on the back gently.

"Well, why don'tcha try ta remember sumthin' an' put it ta words? Memories are better 'en pictures when ya can remembah them," Rogue told the boy.

He considered her suggestion for a moment before closing his eyes, calling up whatever memories he could. When at last he thought of a good, very good time, he described it to her.

"It's ze eighth anniversary of mein parents finding me. Ze curtains are drawn, and ve're all in ze living room. Mein mutter is smiling down at me and mein vater is laughing because I'm holding up a picture of us I just made vis crayons. Ve're all holding hands, me in ze middle.

"Mein mutter zinks it's cute, so she hangs it up. Zen, she notices a bulge in mein mouth. She asks vat I am eating and I show her; it's a blue crayon, really chewed up."

Kurt opened his eyes, seeing into Rogue's own pair. He didn't realize that on his face was a wanton smile, matching the one the girl had worn not too long ago.

"Memories _can_ be better 'en pictures, can't they?" Rogue prodded gently. Kurt gave a slight nod of head.

"Ja, zey can be." A bit unsurely he added, "Zanks, Rogue."

"No problem, fuzzy," she replied, ruffling his hair playfully.

"Hey, stop zat!" he ordered in between laughter.

Kurt's tail lashed out and bound both her hands together in one swift movement. The startled girl didn't have time to struggle as the other teen began to mercilessly tickle her. In a minute tops she was on her back, wiggling, laughing, and redder than Scott's shades.

"St…stop, or Ah'll…Ah'll…drain ya…Ha!"

"Say ze magic vord," Kurt replied, smirking down at her.

"N-now!" she ordered.

"Close enough," the blue boy decided, letting her go.

Rogue, after catching her breath, attempted to glare at her grinning brother. Instead, she began to laugh again and he joined her; they put their hands up to their mouths as to muffle the sounds, remembering suddenly where they were and what time it was. It took a good ten minutes for the two to get it all out of their systems.

"We'd better git ta bed," Rogue finally said, seeing the exact time.

"Ja," Kurt agreed. He rose, but before he teleported back to his own room, he turned to the girl. "Thanks, Rogue."

"No problem, Kurt," she said, smiling. He gave a small farewell wave before bamfing out of there.


End file.
